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Kaplan vs Marksville

78 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.7× in Marksville) and street grid (2.8× in Kaplan).

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Kaplan, LAKnown for its schoolsLouisiana · 4,238 people

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Marksville, LAOne of the safest townsLouisiana · 4,905 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

KaplanKnown for its schools

Schools#25 for schools in LAof 153 towns Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$141K typical home35% below the LA typical home All about Kaplan →

MarksvilleOne of the safest towns

SafetySafer than 1%of U.S. towns we grade Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 70%of LA districts All about Marksville →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker3.7×

Marksville is more of a job hub

Marksville 2.16Kaplan 0.59

Street grid2.8×

Kaplan has the more walkable street grid

Kaplan 169Marksville 59.7

Average commute13 min

Kaplan has the shorter commute

Marksville 34 minKaplan 21 min

Work in town+16.3 pts

More of Marksville’s workers stay in town

Marksville 28.2%Kaplan 11.9%

Growth since 2010+5.8 pts

Kaplan has grown faster since 2010

Kaplan -5.4%Marksville -11.2%

In college+8.2 pts

Kaplan is more of a college town

Kaplan 12%Marksville 3.8%

★ What stands out · Report cards

Marksville places higher on 11 of 20 LA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Louisiana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

–KaplanNot graded D−MarksvilleSafer than 1% of U.S. towns

Schools

AKaplanBetter than 91% of districts in the state B+MarksvilleBetter than 70% of districts in the state

Health

D−KaplanHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns D−MarksvilleHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns

7Kaplan

11Marksville

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 163 towns #43#158 Best schoolsSchools · 153 towns #25#130 Most walkableOutdoors · 163 towns #1#77 Highest graduation rateSchools · 161 towns #1#45 Most conserved landOutdoors · 147 towns #61#99 Most remote workersWork · 158 towns #135#95 Lowest depressionHealth · 163 towns #144#107 Fastest growingGrowth · 163 towns #103#138

Left end = #1 in Louisiana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Kaplan’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Kaplan$750/mo

Typical home $141K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.13% · or rent about $826/mo · Housing →

Marksville$710/mo

Typical home $132K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.13% · or rent about $670/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

KaplanMarksville

Snow a year0″0″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)90th 37th

Outdoors & history

KaplanMarksville

Settled1902 1794

National Register places—5

Archive photos6 10

Famous people born here5 20

Community

KaplanMarksville

Library hours a week35 hrs 50 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

78 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KaplanLA MarksvilleLA

Kaplan ↔ Marksville78 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Louisiana average

KaplanMarksville

People

Population 4,238Lowest 4,905Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.4%Highest LA: +2.7% -11.2%Lowest LA: +2.7%

Median age 39.3±10.9Highest 3% above LA 34.8±3.9Lowest 8% below LA

Kaplan and Marksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 26.5%±7.5Lowest LA: 23.5% 28.5%±6.4Highest LA: 23.5%

Marksville and Kaplan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 16.2%±4.8Highest LA: 16.7% 15.6%±4.2Lowest LA: 16.7%

Kaplan and Marksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.9%Lowest LA: 27% 15.1%Highest LA: 27%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 12%±4.5Highest LA: 5.8% 3.8%±2.3Lowest LA: 5.8%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $40,109±$21kHighest 34% below LA $36,202±$13kLowest 40% below LA

Kaplan and Marksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $156,200±$23kHighest 28% below LA $151,900±$62kLowest 30% below LA

Kaplan and Marksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $826±$150Highest 22% below LA $670±$171Lowest 37% below LA

Kaplan and Marksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $199 83% below LA $199 83% below LA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 63.6%±7.8Highest LA: 54.8% 46.6%±14.6Lowest LA: 54.8%

Kaplan and Marksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 35.3%Highest LA: 18.9% 34.6%Lowest LA: 18.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 58.5%Lowest LA: 67.4% 59.2%Highest LA: 67.4%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973Lowest 10 yrs older than LA 1980Highest 3 yrs older than LA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 18% below LA 34 minHighest 32% above LA

Work from home 2.5%±3.3Lowest LA: 8.1% 4.8%±3.3Highest LA: 8.1%

Marksville and Kaplan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 11.9%Lowest 28.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 12.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 2.16Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Lafayette (20%)Alexandria (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarksvilleFew work in Kaplan

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Highest 0.6%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 169Highest 59.7Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #25 of 153 in LA #130 of 153 in LA

School district Vermilion ParishAvoyelles Parish

High school in town Kaplan High SchoolMarksville High School

Students per teacherat that high school 19.9Lowest 20.6Highest

Louisiana average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Kaplan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kaplan’s Town Square.

Marksville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marksville’s Town Square.

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Towns like Kaplan

Jackson3,958 people · $151K homes

Jeanerette4,655 people · $98K homes

Patterson5,744 people · $160K homes

Mansfield4,619 people · $112K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.